Countries of the World Web Resources

The Web has a variety of sites useful to the student studying countries of the world. Here are just a few recommended ones:

Country Studies
This website contains the online versions of books previously published in hard copy by the Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress, under the Country Studies/Area Handbook Program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Army. Because the original intent of the Series' sponsor was to focus on lesser known areas of the world or regions in which U.S. forces might be deployed, the series is not all-inclusive. At present, 101 countries and regions are covered.

CIA World Factbook
For each country, includes a map, physical geography, demographic statistics, political/economic facts, and transportation, communications, and military information.

Research Guides to the World
This website is a project from the Library of Congress that features a number of links to information regarding countries around the world. All links were chosen by Library of Congress Subject experts.

Nation Master
"A massive central data source and a handy way to graphically compare nations. You can generate maps and graphs with ease on all kinds of statistics. You also can select exactly which countries you want to include."

Human Rights
The Country Reports on Human Rights Practices are submitted annually by the U.S. Department of State to the U.S. Congress. The reports cover internationally recognized individual, civil, political, and worker rights, as set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

PBS Commanding Heights
This site promotes better understanding of globalization, world trade, and economic development.

Global Legal Information Networks
The Global Legal Information Network (GLIN) is a public database of official texts of laws, regulations, judicial decisions, and other complementary legal sources contributed by governmental agencies and international organizations. These GLIN members contribute the full texts of their published documents to the database in their original languages. Each document is accompanied by a summary in English and, in many cases in additional languages, plus subject terms selected from the multilingual index to GLIN. All summaries are available to the public, and public access to full texts is also available for most jurisdictions. To begin searching GLIN, use the search fields found in the website. (Website abstract)

Country Profiles
The profiles offer brief, summarized information on a country’s historical background, geography, society, economy, transportation and telecommunications, government and politics, and national security. (Website abstract)

HLAS Online
(Handbook of Latin American Studies) Alternates annually between the social sciences and the humanities HLAS is an essential bibliographic guide to available sources on Latin America. Each year over 5000 works are selected and annotated by scholars for inclusion in the Handbook. Online as of V. 50, 1990 onward. Updated weekly, HLAS Online provides rapid, comprehensive access to future, current, and retrospective volumes of the Handbook. A bibliography on Latin America consisting of works selected and annotated by scholars. (Website abstract)

Ethnologue, Languages of the World
The main purpose of this website is to provide information about the language families of the world and their most important and populous members, including their history, status, their linguistic characteristics, and their writing in as simple and concise a way as possible. (Website abstract)

Country Health Statistical Reports
USAID HEALTH Data Online for Population, Health, and Nutrition (DOLPHN):They contain statistical data on current health conditions, population dynamics, health and family planning behavior, and health and population trends in a given developing country. The Data Online for Population, Health and Nutrition (DOLPHN) system is an online statistical data resource containing selected current and historical country-level demographic and health indicator data. The DOLPHN system is designed to provide users with quick and easy access to frequently used statistics and can be helpful as both a reference and analytical tool. (Website abstract)

USAID Disaster Assistance Reports
These reports cover humanitarian assistance to save lives, alleviate human suffering, and reduce the social and economic impact of humanitarian emergencies worldwide. OFDA responds to all types of natural disasters, including earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, cyclones, floods, droughts, fires, pest infestations, and disease outbreaks. OFDA also provides assistance when lives or livelihoods are threatened by catastrophes such as civil conflict, acts of terrorism, or industrial accidents. In addition to emergency assistance, OFDA funds mitigation activities to reduce the impact of recurrent natural hazards and provides training to build local capacity for disaster management and response. (Website abstract)

Country Reports on Terrorism
U.S. law requires the Secretary of State to provide Congress, by April 30 of each year, a full and complete report on terrorism with regard to those countries and groups meeting criteria set forth in the legislation. This annual report is entitled Country Reports on Terrorism. (Website abstract)

Excite Travel: Countries
Provides travel tips for visiting each country: information and links to other sites, when to go, what to do there, etiquette, and other useful information.